


This Journey

by midnight0301



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Masturbation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-10 14:43:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20853485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnight0301/pseuds/midnight0301
Summary: One shot (probably) following Poe and Rey's evolving relationship after the events of The Last Jedi.





	This Journey

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to @Olpgurl for the help with my horrendous use of commas and half-assed formating!
> 
> Rape/non-con tag is for a VERY brief mention of the concept of rape in conversation 
> 
> Poe masturbates in the shower very briefly

There were a lot of assumptions made about him, Poe learned, after he spent a bit of time around Rose. If he were being honest, he had never spent a lot of time with anyone other than his fellow pilots or some of command. After about ten minutes with Rose, he realized that had been a mistake. She was a lot of fun and she was smart, with a wit sharp enough to catch him off guard. It was refreshing, and if he had anything to say about it, Finn thought so too. 

The thing that really caught his attention was just how much about him was assumed. Apparently he had slept with a few members of command, was friends-with-benefits with Jessika, and sometimes even a third with Snap and Kare. Then there were the tales of his strength, or bravery so exaggerated that it made him blush. There were three or four different rumors about how big his package was - the list went on. According to quite a few people, he was well endowed and extremely promiscuous. He was half flattered, but mostly embarrassed. 

Poe Dameron was not easy, and he certainly wasn't sleeping with his best friends or squadron. He most definitely had never slept with a superior. He wasn't a prude or something, but he was by no means... some sex god. A lot of people seemed to think he was, and if he were being honest, it made him incredibly uncomfortable. He just didn't know how to go about clearing things up. 

"Do I give off a vibe?" he asked Suralinda out of the blue, his body halfway inside the belly of an x-wing. 

"What do you mean by 'vibe'?" There was a hint of amusement in her tone that irked him a little bit, but this was Sura, after all. She was infamously hard to read. 

"According to the newest gossip I've gotten, from the most reputable of sources, it would seem I give off a sleazy vibe." He grunted as he finally got the bolt he was trying to work loose to budge, immediately followed by a hiss of pain as his hand slipped and he practically punched the engine block. "Fuck- Shit-" 

"I definitely don't see the 'sleazy' thing. You're too clumsy," she teased and reached for his hand. "Let me see. What are your sources?" 

"Rose, mostly. She mentioned that there are some rather... salacious rumors about me." He winced as she prodded at his knuckles. 

"Oh, that's what you're talking about. Yeah, there are a few of those. It's what happens when people find you attractive, and their imaginations run wild." She was so casual about it, like it wasn't something super weird, or even vaguely uncomfortable. 

"People find me attractive?" 

"Poe Dameron, you're quite possibly the dumbest smart person I have ever met." She shook her head and patted his cheek before ducking out from under the bird and disappearing out of the nearest door. 

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

By the time dinner rolled around, his knuckles had turned a lovely shade of blue, and while they didn't hurt, it was definitely concerning. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who found the colour worrisome, because he found his arm practically yanked across the table by the wrist as Rey sat down across from him. 

"What the kriff did you do to your hand?" she asked, rather forcefully, for the first time in the short period he had known her, she wasn't completely and entirely consumed with inhaling the food in front of her. 

"I punched an engine," he said dryly, pulling his hand back slowly. The concern and confusion on her face was frankly adorable. Sometimes, when she didn't catch his sarcasm, it was cute. 

"You... shouldn't do that..." 

"My hand slipped, Rey, it was an accident. I'll get it looked at," he assured her and nodded to her plate. "It's good, eat up." 

"Oh." her voice was soft as she settled and immediately dug in, happily shoveling the food- some sort of starchy soup with chunks of veggies and rehydrated protein supplements - into her mouth. 

"Any luck today? With your reading?" He gestured to the heavy looking satchel she had set down on a chair next to her. He knew that the bag held the ancient texts from Achtoo; relics from an ancient era of peace, prosperity. She kept the real books with her at all times. 

"I managed to translate a whole paragraph!" she announced with much enthusiasm, one cheek stuffed with food. After she chewed and swallowed, she continued, "If only it weren't a riddle."

"I'm sure that they'll start to make sense once they're fully translated," he assured her, hating it when he saw her deflate. It was such a rare and wonderful thing when she genuinely expressed her excitement or joy, that he absolutely hated to see it go away. 

"But do we have the time-" 

"Time for what?" Rose interrupted, plopping down to Rey's left and making her jump. 

"Rose would you be a little more polite?" Finn added in moments later as he set down his food next to Poe and joined them. 

Poe watched Rey's face, watched her initial shock and then reasoning as she kept herself from visibly reacting to the starling entrance of their friends. He gave her an encouraging smile and slid his foot over toward her, his ankle pressing against hers. 

"I'm not being impolite. Poe and Rey were talking and I wanted to know what about," she shrugged and looked between the three of them. "What? Okay- I'm sorry. Sorry."

"It's fine, really. We were talking about Rey's work with the texts. She got a lot done today, and she was just expressing her concern about how long it might take to translate them. But I was going to say, that if she keeps it up like she is, it'll be done in no time," he smiled and looked at Finn. "You know how hard she works."

"Of course I do. I'm the one who is stuck with the light from her side of the room all night," he said it with a wide, fond smile. 

"It's not all night," Rey tried to excuse, but sighed at a look from Finn. "Maybe only most. It isn't my fault that I'm used to functioning on only a few hours of sleep. You're weird for sleeping so much."

Poe smiled to himself as the three of them discussed - or argued really - the finer points of what a healthy schedule was. He was fairly certain that he actually agreed with Finn and Rose, sleep was a precious commodity. It sure as hell was nice, but when Rey dragged him into the conversation, he couldn't help but side with her. 

"Isn't it weird to sleep so much, Poe? You're wasting so much time!" 

"I suppose you're right. The more you sleep the less you get done." he smiled and watched Rey grin at the other two smugly. 

"He's just saying that because he likes to be on your good side." Finn gave him a knowing look. 

"And you don't? You must not have very good self preservation instincts if you willingly disagree with someone who can use a lightsaber." 

"You seem to forget that I also know how to use a lightsaber," Finn smirked. 

Poe rolled his eyes and reached with his spoon to take a bite of Finn's food. They reached a comfortable silence, noticing how Finn and Rose glanced at each other and then Rey and himself. Unfortunately, he couldn't read minds. There was something up. He knew it. 

"Spill, you're acting suspicious," he finally said, sitting back and crossing his arms across his chest. 

"What? We are not acting suspicious. You're acting suspicious," Finn interjected quickly, giving him an almost offended look. 

"Oh, Finn, surely by now you've realized that you are a terrible liar," Rose teased him sweetly. "We heard some more rumors... well, I did, more precisely."

"Maker, now what. Who did I sleep with this time?" Poe grumbled, blushing when he noticed Rey leaning in more. He had just told her that apparently people talked about him, not exactly... what about. 

"Rose-" 

"People think that you and Rey have been fucking."

Poe watched as Rey's face went from curious to horrified in under a millisecond, her freckles disappearing into the red that bloomed on her cheeks. Just like that, she was up and gone. She moved so fast he didn't even have time to get her to stay. Damned Jedi reflexes. 

"Fucking- I told you not to. I told you not to. But you had to say it anyway!" Finn hissed, shaking his head. 

"You're kidding me?You are kidding, right? People don't actually... never in a million years-I mean- no!" he stammered, looking between Rose and Finn, both of whom gave him a knowing look. "It hasn't happened, guys. Damn it, Finn, you share a room with her. You know when she has and hasn't been in there, and when I have and haven't been there."

"I only know when I have and haven't been there."

"And I know where he is, when he isn't there," Rose added, somewhat unnecessarily. They made a good point, there were overlaps. But just because you spent time with someone didn't mean that you were fucking. 

"Do you two really believe that crap? Rey and I are friends. Just friends. I have never heard her, or seen her, even express a minute amount of interest in anyone, let alone myself. And just to top it all off, aren't Jedi supposed to be celibate?" 

"Don't ... don't bring up the celibacy thing, you know how well that worked," Finn deadpanned. "But no, we don't believe it. But I think it might be something to talk to Rey about. Have you told her that people are very good at running their mouths and very bad at minding their business?" 

"Well you two did a pretty good job of making sure she knew just how uncomfortable rumors can be. Now I need to go find her, and make sure that she will literally ever talk to me again," he muttered and stood up. He noticed that in her hurry, Rey had forgotten her bag. He winced when he lifted it, wondering how in the hells she carried the thing around. He thanked the deities that datapads had been invented as he made his way to the corridor.

He thought while he walked, wondering how to phrase this, or even start the conversation. He liked Rey, he really did. Sure, he was a bit older than her, but it wasn't such an age difference that it was inappropriate. Maybe their ranks would make it odd, but then, did it even count if they weren't a direct superior? How was he even worthy of her time, or presence, in the first place? She was his friend, they had a lot of common interests, and just because he found her attractive, didn't mean it was inevitable that at some point they would be something more. Even if he had to admit to himself, he secretly hoped it might. Besides, like he had mentioned to Finn and Rose, Rey had never expressed interest of any sort, other than her goals of translating the Jedi texts and defeating the First Order. (He counted 'beating Kylo Ren's ass' as defeating the First Order). 

Poe sighed when he reached the doors at the end of corridor C-7, shifting the weight of the bag as he opened them and stepped out into the crisp air of a late afternoon on Cassidode VI. It was nice, as far as the days here went, and he stepped out into the light of the suns with a wince. Rey would surely be in the woods by now, probably perched at the top of one of the larger trees, trying to meditate away all of her anxieties. She had a lot of them, he had learned, and as he made his way into the forest, he tried to focus on the crunching of leaves rather than the fact that a new fear had probably just been added to her list. 

It would have taken a lot longer to find her if he hadn't noticed her boots tucked against the roots of a tree sitting near the base clearing. He was always amused by her annoyance with those boots. She claimed that they made it hard to walk, and impossible to move comfortably. Poe guessed it would be weird, wearing new shoes, after having completely broken in one pair after many years of use. 

"Rey! You forgot your books," he called up into the branches, the thick leaves making it hard to impossible to see where she might be. It wasn't long before there was a rustling of leaves, and a bare foot came peeking out of the foliage, followed by the rest of her as she moved down the tree with practiced ease. She didn't get down though, reaching expertly to take the bag off his shoulder and sling it onto her own before shifting her weight and climbing up again. 

"Thank you." 

"Rey..." he sighed, dropping his shoulders and shaking his head as she disappeared again. "Do I have to come up there?" 

After about thirty seconds of silence, he resigned himself to the fact that he would be following her. Climbing a tree was an easy thing, especially after growing up on Yavin 4. The trees there were covered in slippery moss, and grew three times as high, so Poe didn't see it as a challenge, but as a game. It wasn't long before he found the bag hanging from a broken branch, and Rey sitting on a limb slightly lower. 

"Talk to me," he said with a grunt as he hoisted himself onto the nearest branch that he determined could hold his weight. 

"There's nothing to talk about. I forgot my books and you brought them to me." Rey shrugged, fingers fiddling with a large leaf, pulling it apart at the veins, where it was most delicate. 

"I think there is something to talk about. But I'm not going to drag it out of you." His statement was definitive, leaving the space open as he leaned against the trunk and made himself comfortable. He could, and would, wait here until she was ready. Thankfully, that didn't take too long. 

"You told me that people were talking about you, but never that it was about... sex."

"Does the fact that people talk about that make you uncomfortable?" 

"No! Well, yes. Kind of. But... what makes anyone think that they have the right to presume what or who another person or people are doing in private? Why do people have to speculate and pry and assume?" 

"I guess... that people are inherently curious," he shrugged. "For instance, I'm curious. Why did you run off when it was implied that there was something going on between us? You know as well as I do that nothing is." He looked at her, waiting patiently for her response. He could see her cheeks flush again, but it was less obvious in the warm light of the first sunset. 

"I don't have any experience with this. Living amongst other people who aren't constantly a threat in one way or another. Having friends, discussing feelings, and emotions, and.... sex." She paused for a short moment, but he didn't interrupt. She was talking, opening up, and it was so good to hear, to feel that she trusted him. "I know what it is. I know how it works... what it can do. But I remember the power it holds. It can control people so easily. I've never heard it talked about so freely. On Jakku it was like a curse for women. You didn't... do that. Not unless you were provided for. Being with someone out of choice." She shook her head, "I didn't like how it sounded, the implication that you would disrespect me like that. You're my friend. I know you wouldn't hurt me," she finally finished, nodding her head in punctuation. 

Poe felt his stomach churn. He hadn't considered that maybe, 'sex' wasn't something that could imply a positive. 

"Rey, I don't mean to be insensitive, but do you think they were implying that I raped you?" 

When Rey nodded, he had the desire to reach for her, to hold her, but maybe that was the last thing she needed. 

"I thought Rose was telling us that people were saying horrible things about you... and it horrified me. I didn't know how to react. So I came out here to try to figure out how to make it better." 

"That isn't what they were talking about, okay? Nobody is insinuating that I did anything wrong to you. I ...hm ...I don't know how to..." 

"What could that possibly mean then?" That question certainly made it easier. 

"Rose was saying that there are rumors that we are sleeping together. But consensually. Like, we both are willing parties. Wanting to have sex." 

"Oh." 

"Yeah."

"Well, that's ridiculous," she laughed. He winced slightly, clearing his throat. Okay, well, that wasn't the response he had been expecting. At all. 

"I know, right?" he joked, trying to convince himself that hadn't hurt. 

"We're in the middle of a war! We don't have time to have babies."

That one hit him like a brick wall. This was the icing on the cake of how much he fucking hated Jakku. He didn't know how to tell her that sex wasn't just for reproduction. Poe hated how innocent this made her sound, how unaware of what life was like on other worlds, in other cultures. He knew quite well that she was smart, mature, wise beyond her years. Now he was starting to wonder if this had ever come up in conversation before, and if anyone had laughed at her for it. After a moment, he realized how stupid that was, because surely nobody was stupid enough to bully a Jedi. Although... 

"I think... you should talk to Kalonia."

"She didn't know that sex could be for fun?" For once, Poe could read Suralinda's reaction as clear as day. It made her just as sick as it did for him. "Poor thing..." 

"Don't... repeat this, okay?" he insisted quietly, feeling his cheeks started to heat up. "I told her to talk to the doctor about it. I didn't know how to tell her."

"Oh sweetheart, you didn't need to talk to help her understand." She winked and laughed when he glared. 

"Why do I even talk to you? I'm really wondering..." he muttered as he wiped his hands on his thighs, not caring about the dirt from the crates he had been lifting. Or that it was covering his palms, and now, the front of his trousers. 

"I'm not quite sure either, if we're being honest," Sura grinned widely, showing her sharp teeth. 

"In all seriousness though, do you think she would be interested in me?" 

"She implied something about having babies didn't she?" 

"Javos, she said that because she thought that's what sex was for. Not because she wants to have children with me. I'm being serious. Do you think a girl like her would ever be interested in a guy like me?" 

"I think that she's a very important asset to this cause, and that you are also integral in the success of our goal. If you want my honest opinion, I would have to say that in a perfect world, yes, you two would be great together. Power couple all the way. But... I think that, since it isn't a perfect world, and we are fighting in a galactic conflict, and at any moment either of you could have your lives on the line, it isn't a particularly good idea to become romantically involved. You're both leaders. It isn't good to have command decisions swayed by romance."

"Wow... Okay. Yeah, you're right," he said quietly, nodding and swallowing thickly. She was. She was completely right. But, she had also said that given the right circumstances they would be good together. "When you said that we would be good together ...did you mean that you think she does like me?" 

"I meant it doesn't matter if she likes you. You shouldn't get emotionally involved."

"Okay, but I'm already emotionally involved. Sura, we're all emotionally involved. Not a single person is here because it seems like a fucking good idea. We're here because we feel that this is right. Because we trust our guts, because we know that what we are doing is necessary. Everyone here has something to lose and something to gain. Emotions are what we are depending on. If you take out the passion, you have what the First Order has: mind-wiped drones that do your bidding and die without purpose." 

He watched as a new smile spread across his friend's face, filled with pride and the usual cocky attitude. 

"Now you're getting it."

"Did ... did you just ... fuck you!"

"I would but, look at the time, it looks like.... 'Time to go talk to Rey o'clock'." She didn't even look at any time piece, didn't even break eye contact, just smiled wide. 

Poe took a deep breath and headed for the door, throwing his middle finger up at her as he walked away. One of these days he was going to get her back for all of the teasing and mind games. 

That night, Poe found it hard to sleep, tossing and turning. He hadn't talked to Rey. He didn't think it was appropriate to bring that up, especially since he didn't know whether or not Rey had spoken to Kalonia, so he had let the time they spent together go as usual. She talked about her translating, about how she had learned through meditation that she was almost ready to make the pilgrimage to Ilum to find her crystal. He had just listened, let her talk. This was the first time in his life that he had been the listener, and he learned that he liked it, especially when it was Rey that was talking. 

Rey was so animated when she spoke, her face lit up, her hands were everywhere, gesturing all sorts of things like she could tell whole stories with her fingers. She was so beautiful when she got quiet too, the way her brow furrowed, or how she pursed her lips. No matter what she did, Poe was screwed. The more he listened the more he liked her, and the longer he watched, the deeper he wandered. 

Poe Dameron was in love with Rey. 

It had been a week since Rey had told him about her plans to go to Ilum. Between then and this moment, they had barely had time to speak, let alone see each other. But here she was, standing in his doorway, hands clasped in front of her as she smiled hopefully. 

"I need a copilot. Chewie doesn't want to go to Ilum, and there isn't anyone else here that I would trust with the Falcon while I'm in the caves." 

"Has this been cleared with Leia? She doesn't need me here?" he asked, feeling a bit nervous about such a long journey alone with Rey. Not that he thought he was going to do something wrong but he knew he had a track record of doing stupid things. He might screw the whole thing up. 

"She said it was a great idea. This is a sensitive mission, and she trusts you." He sighed. Of course Leia wanted him to go with Rey. 

"Okay. When were you planning on leaving?" 

"The morning? About... O-six-hundred?" she suggested. Rey had always been an early riser, so that didn't surprise him, but he knew he would be miserable and have to run solely on caf. 

"Okay. Okay, I'll see you then?" 

Rey beamed brightly and nodded before heading down the hall, leaving him standing in his open doorway for a moment. He wished he had a little bit more time to consider this whole thing. It would be a good thirty hours in hyperspace, alone with Rey, and then when they arrived, there would be another, what? Up to twelve hours? Completely alone with his thoughts? 

Poe closed his door and went to pack a bag, throwing in a few shirts, an extra pair of trousers. On top, he threw a jacket, his holster and blasters, leaving the pile so it was ready in the morning. The chronometer next to his bed reminded him that he should probably go to sleep, especially with how early he was going to be up, but he decided cleaning up before bed would give him more time in the morning to relax. He had mastered the art of getting his boots and socks off without his hands, leaving them free to get his shirt off as he headed toward the fresher. He stepped out of his trousers before his feet touched the tile. There were few things more refreshing than a real shower, with real water, and Rose had gotten the heating system running. He reveled in being able to turn the room into a sauna with the steam. 

With the water sufficiently hot, he stepped under the pressured spray and sighed, facing right into it and letting himself get soaked by the warmth, breathing deeply and closing his eyes. For a moment he could almost imagine he was at home, showering with the chorus of insects in the background, the smell of his father's cooking wafting up the stairs. He thought about home often, imagined going back after all of this was over, helping his dad on the farm, living a simple, quiet life. 

Now this fantasy had been invaded by Rey. Maybe 'invaded' was too harsh a word for it, but part of him wished it didn't feel so good to imagine that she went with him. His head filled her in wherever it wanted. He could envision Rey sitting in the soft grass between the roots of the Force tree or perched on the porch swing. And right now, his brain supplied him with the image of her right there next to him in the shower. Poe was struck by the inner turmoil he felt every single time he imagined her like this. She was so beautiful, tantalizing, standing there amidst the steam, water trickling down her body and guiding his gaze slowly over her bare skin. He ached for her, his mind supplying memories of past lovers, and superimposing Rey, leaving him breathless as he made love to her in his head. 

By the time Poe realized what he was thinking, he was coming into his own hand, moaning softly as the sensation overwhelmed him. This wasn't the first time this had happened, but as his head cleared and he finished cleaning up, he hoped this at least would keep it from happening while they were alone, in close quarters. The last thing he needed was for Rey to be scared off by sensing or hearing him in the throws of passion, alone, in the dark. Besides, he was a grown man, not some teen on the precipice of sexual revelation. He could control himself. He hoped. 

Poe dried off, slipped into soft shorts, and crawled into bed. He let himself go to sleep, instead of agonizing over how nervous he felt. 

The morning came too soon, and the sound of his alarm made him sob dryly. The last thing he wanted was to be awake right now. But he obeyed the incessant beeping, dragging himself out of bed and dressing. He didn't bother with his holster, or even his jacket, throwing his bag over his shoulder and tucking everything else under his arm as he slipped out the door. Halfway to the mess, he was joined by BB-8, who excitedly informed him that it was also assigned to this mission, and was very eager to be of assistance to [friend-Rey]. 

"I bet you are, buddy. So am I. But you know as well as I do that I need caf before anything alright? Go tell Rey I'm on my way, but I've gotta grab something first," he explained, chuckling as Beebee happily rolled off in the direction of the main hangar. 

Poe snagged a large thermos, surprised that there had even been one available, and filled it to the brim with steaming hot caf. He also grabbed a mug and filled it, sipping it on the way to the Falcon. 

Rey was standing at the top of the ramp, tinkering with one of the panels when he arrived. She greeted him with a smile, and all he could do was lift his mug in acknowledgement before bringing it to his lips again and drinking deeply. 

"You have everything you need?" she asked as she closed the door, the old hydrolics hissing and locking with a loud clang. 

"Yep, clothing and caf. And Beebee," he muttered quietly, looking at her now with his eyes threatening to fall shut. Even while he was on his feet. 

"You really aren't a morning person, huh," she teased and headed for the cockpit, letting him figure out whether or not he should follow her.

He decided he probably should, leaving his bag on a bench, but keeping the thermos clutched to his chest as he sat in the co-pilot's seat. She started to prime the engines, the old freighter starting to vibrate beneath his feet as it slowly warmed up. She didn't waste any time did she? 

"So... is there really anything for me to do other than take turns with you up here then wait patiently while we're on Ilum?" he asked quietly, mouth just above the rim of the mug before he brought it up again. He saw the way Rey wrinkled her nose up at the sight of caf and really smiled for the first time all morning. 

"Well, I mean, I suppose there really isn't... but we can talk. We haven't spoken in a week because of that stupid flop of a mission," she sighed "Speaking of which, how's your side doing?" 

"It's alright. Bacta worked it's magic already. There's barely a bruise," he smiled. It was true now that it was just a bruise, but it was a deep bruise, and if he shifted just the right way, it took his breath away. He was lucky he had only been grazed. 

"That sounds like an exaggeration... but I'm glad you're alright." She sighed and started to guide the ship out of the hangar with practiced ease. He didn't know why he needed to be here, watching as she handled the controls like a pro. 

There was a long, comfortable silence as they broke atmo and calculated the first jump. He braced himself for the jolt, carefully countering what the physics would do to his caf, and then quickly drank the final dregs. 

"I think I'm actually a human now," he sighed before pouring more caf into the mug, "Or a little bit closer, at least."

"No matter how groggy you are, you're better company than a mourning Wookie." She tried to make that statement lightly, he could tell, but the end of it fell flat, and he felt her pain. 

"Chewie is old. He has lived a long time, and has seen a lot. It's no wonder that he's having a hard time. Especially with... Han, and then Crait, " he sighed. "And there's nothing wrong with not wanting to be around someone so melancholy when you have an important task ahead of you." He was trying to encourage her, but he could see the way she looked around the cockpit, her fingers almost reverent on the controls before she stood. 

"I brought a deck of playing cards. You should teach me to play sabacc." She did a quick one eighty, and Poe didn't blame her. 

Five hours in and he had taught Rey well enough that she had beaten him about four times. At some points, he felt like she had been lying about not knowing how to play, but surely her connection to the Force helped her. He wasn't about to accuse a Jedi of cheating. 

Now though, Rey had disappeared into the old crew quarters, leaving him alone with his thoughts at the Sabacc table. Was she napping? Meditating? It wasn't as if he could reach out with the Force and know. He had been tested as a kid, and he was about as connected to the Force as a loth cat. Rey would argue that it was completely valid, because Luke had said that the Force is in everything, and everyone. Poe was inclined to believe that to some degree. 

"Poe, do you know what this word is?" He jumped, not having heard her coming. "It doesn't seem to follow the same rules," she murmured and slid onto the bench next to him. She had the tome in one hand, data pad in the other, the screen showing all sorts of notes and symbols. 

"I don't really think I will be of much help, but I can try. What word is it?" 

Rey pointed to a slightly bolder script, written in the same black ink, hovering in the center of the ancient Aurebesh text. 

"That one... it... it doesn't make sense. It doesn't even look like the same alphabet." 

Something about the word made Poe uncomfortable, the way it sat there on the page, contradictory, almost startling compared to the easy calligraphy of the rest of the text. After a moment of staring he realized why it was familiar. 

"Rey, that's... Sith. I recognize that, from the old base on Yavin 4. The letters always creeped me out as a kid," he said softly, unsure as to why the hell there was Sith writing inside of a Jedi text. Rey seemed to be just as concerned about this information, quickly making a note on the data pad with her brow furrowed deeply. 

"Do you know what they mean? The symbols?" 

"Well... I remember that this one... it always showed up. My dad used to tell me that it meant omen, or... something like that. Forgive me for not being a linguist, but I think this is actually a whole phrase," he said quietly, eyes glued to the writing. Digging at the deepest memories from his childhood, he tried to recall if he had ever learned what any of those wild symbols meant, but he was coming up empty. "I'm sorry, Rey, but I think that's all I got."

"Don't apologize. You knew more about it than I did, that's for sure. At least we might have some clue as to what it means now. 'Omen' is... a pretty powerful implication."

"I just wish I could really, actually help. " He sighed and watched as she slipped a thin piece of fabric between the ancient parchment to mark her place, and pushed the book toward the center of the table with care. 

"You did, trust me." She smiled and stood up, "I think it's about time to eat something, don't you?" 

Dinner had gone by in a flash. It was nothing fancy, just a ration pack and some fruit Rey had managed to get her hands on, but it was filling. He wasn't even sure what they talked about, or if they had spoken at all. He was focused on making sure he wasn't being an idiot. Rey had gone to calculate the next jump, giving Beebee, their ever-faithful little droid, instructions for while they slept. In the morning they would be barely an hour away from Ilum, and there would be no time to waste. 

"I'm set up to bunk in the crew quarters. You could use the old captain's suite, but from personal experience, stacking two of the foam cots is more comfortable than that stupid mattress." 

Poe blushed, looking up as Rey practically ghosted through the room, talking as she went. He swallowed thickly, standing up and looking around the main hold. 

"I'll take your word for it." 

He smiled and followed behind her, watching as she set herself up for bed. Belt first, she started to pull away all of her extra accessories, until she was left in thin leggings and a grey tank top. She crawled into her own bunk, which was stacked high with three foam mats. Poe tried not to stare, he really did, busying himself with grabbing an extra mat and putting it on the last bunk with a remaining mattress. Now for the hard part.

This shouldn't have been hard, that was the thing, it shouldn't have felt like he was doing something wrong, so he pushed forward anyway. He did as she had, getting himself ready for bed. Boots first, then socks (he couldn't stand sleeping in socks), then his tunic, and his belt. He turned to stretch and managed to pull at his bruising, wincing with a quiet groan. Fuck. 

"Poe? Are you okay?" she inquired immediately, her tone concerned, as she threw her legs back over the side of her bunk. Poe made the mistake of turning directly toward her, leaving his ribs in full view. "Poe..." she whispered. 

"Rey, I'm fine-"

"No, you said it was just lightly bruised. Just because you can only see some yellowing, doesn't mean that it isn't bad," she scolded, eyes scrutinizing his shirtless torso, almost searching for any other signs of injury. 

"The doc said it was fine, okay? I was cleared for duty, I promise. I just stretched wrong," he assured her and sat down on his bunk, poking at the pillow before swinging his legs up and settling in, shifting until he was comfortable. In the end, he settled with his back toward Rey. He heard as she laid back down, closing his eyes and focusing on his own breathing, trying to fall asleep. 

"Speaking of Kalonia... I talked to her," Rey spoke out of the blue. He was wide awake now. 

"Oh? What about?" he swallowed thickly, not particularly eager to have this conversation. 

"About what you told me to ask her about, silly. It was quite... informative."

"Well... I hope she answered any and all questions you might have had." He was trying to be as neutral as possible, really, he was. 

"I had no idea that sex was something so... normal. And did you know that men and women can both get implants to keep from having babies?" 

Poe wanted to cry. 

"Yes, Rey, I know." 

"I got one." 

He nearly choked, shifting and taking a deep breath. Don't even think about it Poe. Don't. Fucking. Think. About. It. 

"Well, that's good. I'm glad that you got the information you needed, and the medical care that you wanted." He forced his tone to be even, "I'm pretty tired... I'm sorry, I can't sit and talk... but I'm going to sleep now."

Just because he didn't talk about it, didn't mean he wouldn't dream about it. 

He was surprised to find when he woke up that the ship hadn't blown up in their sleep, and that he had actually gotten enough rest to feel like a human. He swung his legs over the side of the bunk and sighed, immediately noticing a particular dilemma he was in. 

"This is not the time," he mumbled and stood up, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on before awkwardly trying to tuck himself down and hide, at least partially, the anatomy he was trying to ignore. It was a bit uncomfortable to bend down and get his boots on, but he pushed through it and took a deep breath before leaving the crew quarters. 

Rey was already sitting at the Sabacc table, eating a packet on dehydrated fruit straight. 

"You know you're supposed to rehydrate that, right?" 

"Huh?" She looked at the packet and then shrugged. "They're good like this too. It's like... sweet crackers." 

"To each their own," he teased, burying that fluttery feeling he got in his chest whenever she did something cute. He got his own breakfast, a rehydrated biscuit and fruit preserves, and sat down across from her. 

"You slept well." She didn't phrase it as a question, almost peering into him with those hazel eyes. 

"Uh, yeah... well enough. You were right about doubling up on the mats, it almost felt like a real bed." He smiled and spread the preserves onto the bread, wishing he could wash it down with caf. 

"Have any interesting dreams?" 

He swallowed thickly, raising his eyebrows, and praying to the gods that he hadn't been sleep talking. 

"Nothing all that interesting, no... I don't, uh, dream a lot these days." That was a lie, and she could probably tell, but he doubted she would call him out on it. 

"Oh, well I did. I think it was some sort of Force vision, or related at least. I was in the caves, on Ilum, and I could hear singing, and it kept getting louder... but it was beautiful. I'm hoping that it helps me find my crystal, because it's kind of time sensitive." 

"We should be pretty close, so I have no doubt that it could have been related. I'm a little hazy, on the whole... crystal quest. What exactly do you have to do?" He was very glad to turn the conversation to the task at hand. 

"Essentially, I have to go into the caves, and let the Force guide me to my crystal. Luke told me that it's where the Jedi Order used to take their padawans. It used to be a test, finding your crystal in the time it took for a single planetary rotation... but the Empire destroyed part of it. Their base is abandoned now, and a lot of the naturally occurring Kyber crystals were mined and used... but I'm hoping that my dream means there's something left."

"The Empire really had no respect for sanctity. I guess that's what happens when you fall to the dark side." 

"It's easy to fall prey to power, the allure is intoxicating. So many have succumbed to their own hubris, thinking that they can tap into that power without turning from the light... but what if there is no such thing as the light or the dark."

He watched Rey, seeing the way she stared into the distance. It worried him, that look in her eyes. There was good and evil in this universe, he knew it. He had felt it first hand from Kylo Ren, he had seen it in the destruction of the Ileenium system. Their mission, their calling, was to fight against that darkness, to keep it from spreading and corrupting everything they loved. What Rey was saying... it terrified him. 

Thankfully, they were interrupted by the proximity sensors, telling them that they were entering the Ilum system, and that it was time to leave hyperspace. 

"I guess you had better get geared up. You're a desert girl, I doubt you're gonna like this very much." He cleared his throat and stood up, heading toward the cockpit. "I'll take us in."

Seven hours had gone by already, and the daylight was already starting to fade outside the cockpit windows. Poe had let Beebee go on for about forty minutes before the droid excused itself to do... whatever it thought it needed to. He had been passing the time by dozing mostly, at one point the sun had been shining directly on him, and it was warm and cozy. But now the sun had disappeared behind clouds and mountains. 

He had gone through some reports he had never completely finalized, but now those were done too. He almost hoped that the Falcon would decide to malfunction in some way so that he could concentrate on fixing something. He didn't dare run any checks, because that actually would cause a problem, and there's a difference between fixing a problem you caused, and one that just came up. He didn't want an angry Jedi, backed up by an angry Wookie, on his ass about this ship.

One thing that came to mind was just how much history this ship had. With Lando Calrissian, Han, Luke and Leia and the rebellion. That frankly unbelievable tale of Finn and Rey's escape from Jakku. Every time Finn told that story it got more exaggerated, but he knew that Rey truly was a natural born pilot, if that could even be a thing. He assumed that piloting like that had to be a Force thing, but that all brought his thoughts back to Rey. 

It always circled back to her, no matter where he started. His brain could figure out it’s way back to her; the way she smiled, and laughed, and last night, when she had stripped down to her thin clothes in front of him and crawled into her bunk. He smiled at the thought of her snuggling into her little makeshift nest, just a meter and a half away from him. 

She had brought up the fact that she got a birth control implant.Why had she brought that up? He could think of quite a few reasons why she might have informed him. Surely, she just thought they were close enough for her to tell him about that medical decision. They were close enough, or he hoped they were, but gods did he wish it was-

His spiralling thoughts were interrupted as he heard a ship enter atmo a few kilometers off. The sound was unmistakable, especially to the trained ear, and when it was followed by more, his stomach twisted. There was no way this was a good thing. The First Order must have found out, somehow, that they were here. 

He had taken the Falcon to a secluded spot, an empty airfield at least three kilometers away from where Rey was in the caves, and was now regretting it. He could reach her on comms, but surely they would be intercepted. She had instructed him not to contact her unless it was an emergency. 

If it were a few TIE fighters, he could handle that, that didn't count as an emergency, more of an annoyance in his book, especially in the Falcon. She was big and a little cumbersome, but she was tough. He sat there for a moment contemplating, before reaching for the controls. No matter what, he was going to have to move, might as well have the engine well-primed. 

Just as he moved he heard the distinct wail of cannon fire above him, followed by the sound of engines. Lots of engines. 

Poe scrambled to look out the window, stomach churning as he processed what he was seeing. That was a whole goddamn squadron. 

"Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck ,fuck!" he cursed under his breath and scrambled for the comms. 

"Rey! Rey, you need to respond immediately!" He started the flight sequence, slowly feeling as the bird lifted from the ground and the distinct sound of the landing gear closing met his ears, "They've sent a squadron. Repeat, there is a First Order squadron. You need to get out of there now. I'm on my way!"

The distinct click of a response was a momentary relief, he had gotten through. She must not have been too deep in the caverns. 

"There's a what?!" 

"You heard me. Get the fuck out of there!" he said as he maneuvered around the side of a large glacier and narrowly dodged an onslaught of TIE fire. 

As he approached the entrance to the caves, he saw Rey hurrying out into the snow, his heart skipping when he saw one of the fighters quickly turn around and dive toward her. He hurried forward, unable to fire but able to put himself between Rey and the charges heading toward her position. The Falcon creaked as one hit, then two, then three. He managed to lower the landing gear and open the door just in time before he saw two more fighters heading in their direction. 

"REY!" 

"I'm in! I'm in! Go!!!" 

He didn't even wait until the ramp was all the way up, yanking the ship into an upward angle and taking them out of atmo. In a matter of seconds they were swarmed again, his adrenaline kicking in hard now, leaving the controls to Rey as she rushed into the cockpit, and hurrying down the corridor to get to the gunner position. 

He didn't strap in once he was seated, just started to fire, everything in him focused on gunning down as many TIEs as he could. They had brought the whole goddamn fleet, or at least that's what it looked like. A Dreadnought loomed ahead, undoubtedly carrying hundreds more fighters. Did they really think this was necessary? Did they really have to bring out the big guns out for her? Surely they weren't that afraid? 

Suddenly, the Falcon jumped, and the streaking blue of Hyperspace surrounded him. Rey had calculated their jump in the middle of a goddamn dog fight. 

He leapt out of his seat, rushing toward the cockpit in a mad dash. 

"REY! Rey, how ... holy shit!" He met her halfway, freezing suddenly, barely a foot in front of her. "Did you get the crystal? Did you get your crystal?. Rey-" 

"Two. There... there were two." She was panting, one shaking hand producing the crystals. 

He could hardly breathe, looking at what she held in her hand before looking up and into her eyes. He swallowed thickly, the corridor around them shrinking until there was nothing left, nothing left in the universe but her. 

"Rey..." he whispered. Unable to hold back, he reached for her, cupping her face in his hands and pulling her in until their lips met, mouths crashing together. He felt her lean into it as she kissed back, full of unbridled passion, full of potent relief, full of joy. There were so many ways to say it, but she kissed him, just as much as he kissed her. 

By the time they pulled back, the hallway had returned to normal, his adrenaline starting to ebb away, but she was still right there. She was safe, bundled up in his jacket and a coat of her own, and she was holding not one, but two Kyber crystals. 

"You let them shoot my ship."

"So that they wouldn't shoot you."

"You'll have to pay for that." 

"Hopefully I can make it up to you?" 

Rey grinned brightly, looking into his eyes, not daring to look away. Poe couldn't believe what had just happened. 

"I think I know of a way." 

"I don't get paid very much. Actually I don't-" 

Her lips were on his again, and he felt as she grasped at his tunic, hands insistent, pulling him down the corridor toward the crew quarters. He could swear he heard Beebee beep at them from somewhere... but that wasn't important. 

He let her tug his shirt off, in exchange for her coats of course, and smiled when she started to slow down. She nipped at his bottom lip, arms sliding up and over his shoulders. He could tell that this was just about as far as she knew, at least from possible experience. 

"Rey, we don't have to do this," he whispered, hands on her hips, his thumb brushing just beneath the hem of her shirt. 

"I want to, you owe me," she teased, her nose barely brushing his, her eyes so close that he could see his own reflection in them. How could he say no to her? In what galaxy, what universe could Poe Dameron say no to this woman? Oh gods. 

"We're coming off of an adrenaline rush… we need to be clear-headed." He voiced his concern out loud, his own stomach twisting as he said it. This wasn't right. Some stupid voice in the back of his mind was insisting that this wasn't the time and damn it he didn't want to listen, but he had to. 

He stepped back, forcing himself to let go of her; forcing himself to no longer feel her hips, so good in his grasp. Every physical fiber in his body wanted this, wanted her, but his stupid conscience wouldn't let him. 

"Rey… Rey, I'm sorry," he whispered, deflating and sitting on the edge of his own bunk. He couldn't bring himself to look up and see her face. He couldn't do it, he didn't want to see her hurt. 

The room fell silent, and this time it was tense. She didn't speak for a long time, and it made this feel even worse. 

"Got it." Her tone cool, smooth, and uncomfortably calm after what had just happened. He didn't look up until he heard her leave the room. 

The trip back to Cassidode VI was long and drawn out, the interruption on Ilum leaving them weary of being followed, and forcing them to take an extra jump just to make sure that it was safe to go back. The extra time in hyperspace wasn't the only thing that made it feel longer though. Ever since he had decided it was best they didn't sleep together, Rey had been cold and distant. She had holed herself away in the captain's suite and rarely came out. Beebee had been carrying messages back and forth like some poor little protocol droid. 

By the time the landing gear touched duracrete, he had nearly gone stir crazy. He hated silence, and he absolutely hated the feeling of Rey being upset with him. They ended up reporting what had happened separately, and before he could talk to her, Rey had left again, this time with Chewie. 

The first genuinely friendly faces he saw were those of Finn and Rose, who were coming down the hall directly towards him. 

"Hey!" he said cheerily, eager to catch up, and immediately shocked as Rose reached up and back handed him. "What the-" 

He spun around as Rose wheeled off down the hall at full tilt, not having even said a word to him. After a moment he turned, half expecting to get clocked by Finn next, holding up a hand in a half-assed attempt to block it. Thankfully, Finn was just standing there with a solemn expression. 

"What is it with powerful women and smacking me," he mumbled, rubbing his cheek. 

"Believe me, I want to hit you too. I tried to talk her out of it but..." he shrugged. 

"What did I do?" 

"Rey talked to us before she left."

"Oh," he said quietly and dropped his hand with a sigh. "Listen I-" 

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. I get why you did... or didn't ... whatever. But she thinks that you don't want to be with her because she's inexperienced. And she was offended."

"I can assure you, I have no qualms with her experience. I didn't..." He looked around and cleared his throat, "Can we go talk in private?" 

He lead Finn down the corridor to his quarters, finally entering his own space for the first time since getting back. After dropping his things on the end of his bed, he looked at Finn. 

"Okay, listen. We had just been surrounded, and shot at by a whole fucking First Order squadron. They had a Dreadnought, a fucking fleet. I was scared for her life. I was scared for my life, and somehow Rey calculated a jump to hyperspace in the middle of being fucking shot at!" 

"Yeah... she does that." 

"My point is that it was an adrenaline rush, and once we were safe and... and I kissed her, and she kissed me, it got heated. And we were going to ... Finn I wanted to... but I didn't want that to happen because it was in the heat of the moment." He shook his head, "I like her, Finn, I really do... and because of that, I don't want it to be all... lust and adrenaline," he huffed and sat down on the end of the bed, flopping back, and running his hands down his face. 

"You need to tell her that."

"I wanted to, but she locked herself away in the captain's quarters and we ended up sending Beebee back and forth like some poor, innocent kid in the middle of their kriffing parents fighting. I couldn't very well send a droid to articulate the nuances of that mess."

"I know. But when she gets back you need to tell her."

"Where did she even go? How long is she going to be gone?" 

"Apparently she needs to be distraction free to build her saber. Something to do with the Force and focusing."

"Okay but for how long?" 

"I don't know everything, Poe."

"Right... I'm sorry. I just ... I fucked up. And I feel bad. But I didn't want it to happen like that." He stared up at the ceiling and tried not to focus too much on how horribly he had fucked up. 

"But she likes you... so that's good news."

"She likes me but I pissed her off. Maker, we sound like teenagers."

"I don't know what normal teenagers sound like, so that's your opinion."

He lifted his head and looked at Finn,   
smiling softly before dropping his head again. 

"I'm just glad that I'm back, and I can... I dunno, focus on something other than the fact that I'm on a freighter, alone, with a woman I like. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" 

"Hey, hotshot! The Falcon just got cleared for landing. You gonna go meet your girlfriend or not?" Snap's voice came from behind him, making him jump probably a good three inches. 

"How the fuck do you make your voice travel like that?" he called back, seeing his friend at least thirty meters away by the door. Snap's hearty laugh echoed through the hangar as he turned back around and watched as the Falcon started to come in for a landing. 

As soon as the landing gear hit the duracrete, he felt his stomach clench. He had heard they were on their way back, but it was only about an hour before this very moment, and he barely had enough time to put the finishing touches on his apology. 

He watched nervously as the ramp opened and Rey stepped out into the waning sunlight, the hem of her jacket barely covering the glinting metal of the new lightsaber that hung at her hip. When she turned, he saw that she had managed to re-forge Luke's, and it was carefully clipped to her belt as well. She was a formidable woman, a very beautiful one at that, and he had hurt her. Now he wasn't quite sure if he really should approach her, but wasn't given the chance to decide, as now she was walking toward him. 

"Hello, Rey." He forced a smile, wiping his hands clean on a rag before stuffing them into the pockets of his flight suit. 

"Hello, Poe." She was quiet for a moment as she stood in front of him, and for a split second he thought she had gotten taller. Either that or he was shrinking in fear at the idea of her igniting one of those weapons and killing him where he stood. Not because she was a bad person, but because he'd been a total dick. "I was wondering if we could talk?" 

"Uh, yeah, sure. I'd say we go to your quarters but... Finn just got back...and he's in there with Rose... so..."

"No, I think we should go to yours," she suggested. He was relieved he didn’t have to as she   
started to lead the way. 

His mind was full of things that might happen, none of them good. He could imagine over twenty ways, just off the top of his head, that she could easily kill him with those lightsabers. All she had to do was ignite one into his skull and bam. Done. That was the end of Poe Dameron. But now, as they entered his quarters and the door slid shut behind them, he hoped they would just talk. 

"Rey, I'm sorry." he blurted out, swallowing thickly and looking at her, his fingers fiddling nervously with a string at the waist of his jumpsuit. 

"Why?" 

"You..." he sighed. He needed to say it. "After Ilum... when we were going to... Rey, I like you, and I respect you, and that's why I didn't want to."

"So you definitely didn't want to. Okay."

"Fuck, that isn't what I meant-" 

"That's really what it sounded like."

"I didn't want us to fuck because we were running on adrenaline, and then for this to become some sort of... lust-filled fling that lasts a week! Rey, I love you! I wanted it to be romantic, special, memorable! Not... a quick fuck on old bunk mats!" 

They both fell silent, and he grew more embarrassed by the second, with her staring him down like that. Her expression softened though, and eventually he didn't feel afraid, or worried, he felt comforted. 

"Thank you," she whispered, her hands at her slides, her shoulders at ease. She wasn't angry, she wasn't upset. 

"Why are you thanking me?" 

"Because you were right. It was... adrenaline, and lust. And while I don't know if it would have turned into a fling, or if it would have worked out just fine, I didn't know what I was doing, and because I didn't have anything to measure it against... you were a voice of reason."

He let his hands fall too, shifting his weight, not sure whether or not to step forward. In the end, Rey stepped forward first, her arms circling his shoulders in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist, taking a deep breath as they both leaned into the embrace. This felt good, and for the first time in three weeks, he felt like he could breathe, the anxious fluttering in his stomach replaced with fluttering of a much better kind. 

"Are you busy or, can I tell you about my new lightsaber?" she asked as she pulled back, smiling from ear to ear as she unclipped it from her belt. 

"Go for it. Although, I am a bit confused. I thought you had found two crystals." 

"Well, this isn't just a regular saber." She had an almost devious grin as she took another four steps back and ignited it. He was awestruck as the room was filled with golden light, two blades shining from each end of the hilt. 

"I thought that lightsabers were only blue or green?. Or...well... red." 

"It depends on the crystal, and it depends on the wielder sometimes too," she said softly, easily spinning the weapon with practiced control. "It felt more natural, a longer weapon, more like my staff, but..." she trailed off and deactivated the blades. Her hands moved in a quick twisting motion, and the long hilt turned split into two, smaller weapons. "Cool, huh?" 

"No wonder you were gone for so long," he teased, watching her put the weapon back together, before she set it down on his desk. 

"You're supposed to meditate, and use the Force to assemble your lightsaber. I uh... I had a bit of a difficult time focusing."

He nodded in understanding. He had been losing focus the whole time she was gone, finding it nearly impossible to keep his thoughts from drifting. 

"It's hard to believe that you can learn so much from ghosts." He smirked and watched as Rey unclipped Luke's lightsaber from her belt and placed it next to hers. The corner of her mouth quirked up and she rolled her eyes. 

"Luke told me some things before he..." She sighed, "Before he became one with the Force. He's not the only one, you know. There's a very wise man, or part of the Force, who used to be named Qui-Gon Jinn. He was Obi-Wan Kenobi's master, and the one who insisted that Anakin Skywalker should he trained in the ways of the Jedi."

"If he thought that was a good idea, how wise could he be," Poe deadpanned, letting Rey talk as she made herself comfortable, focused on and enamored by her words. 

"If he hadn't died, I don't think that Anakin would have fallen, but that's my own opinion. I've spoken extensively with him, or convened... however you want to describe it. He believed in what was referred to as the Living Force... a lesser studied concept within the Jedi Order... I think he was onto something." 

He hadn't noticed her moving closer as she was talking, but now she was less than a foot away from him, looking into his eyes, and he felt this... weight or... pull to her. 

"He told me that the Force is alive, it has a conscience, an understanding of the universe beyond the energy of those who have joined it. But it doesn't dictate to us what we should do, it helps us understand how our actions can impact the world around us. Our destiny is our own, Poe, and no First Order, no Jedi Order, and no old tome full of archaic rules, is going to give us the answers we seek. We have to find them ourselves." She was speaking in a low tone now, and her hands were holding his. 

"You Poe, remind me that the paths we make are our own. But sometimes, a journey is easier with somebody by your side... Poe, I want you to be by my side."

Her voice tapered off into a whisper, and he could feel her breath on his lips. She was so close, and it wasn't because of adrenaline or lust, she was close because she wanted him there. Rey was close because she wanted him to be by her side. 

"May I kiss you?" he whispered, his eyes falling to her lips as they curled into a smile and falling shut as she pressed her mouth to his.


End file.
